Cook County Sheriff's Police say a routine rules violation stop at the 95th/Dan Ryan Red Line station turned serious when they allegedly found a loaded gun in a rider's backpack. The rider, identified by the sheriff's office as 23-year-old Chicago resident Nasir Brown, is now charged with aggravated unlawful possession of a firearm and a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct. He was released after a first appearance at the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse.
According to the Cook County Sheriff's Office, deputies doing premise checks around 2:20 p.m. on July 7 saw Brown crossing between rail cars at the 95th Street Red Line station and detained him. A search of his backpack turned up a loaded firearm, the sheriff's office said, and prosecutors approved an aggravated unlawful possession charge along with a misdemeanor disorderly conduct count. The office noted that Brown, 23, was released following his initial court appearance.
What the CTA prohibits
The Chicago Transit Authority's Rules of Conduct make it clear that riders are not allowed to bring weapons, "including firearms," onto trains or other CTA property, and they also bar passengers from crossing between rail cars except in an emergency. The Chicago Transit Authority says those rules were updated in 2024 and remain the framework for system-wide enforcement.
Legal context
Under Illinois law, aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon can be charged as a felony when certain factors are present, such as the firearm being loaded or the defendant's prior criminal history. As laid out by the Illinois General Assembly, the statute sets out the sentencing ranges and the specific circumstances that can elevate the offense.
Similar stops at 95th
The sheriff's account echoes other recent cases at the busy 95th terminal. In May, deputies said they stopped another rider for moving between cars and recovered a loaded, reportedly stolen handgun. That earlier case was covered locally in a Red Line bust story.
Next steps
Brown remains charged in connection with the alleged firearm offense and faces ongoing prosecution. Future court dates and filings will be listed in the public case search maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County.
